Suit-case and the like.



E. LUDESGHER. SUIT CASE AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV 14, 1908.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

gluuanl'oz,

E. LUDESCHER. SUIT CASE AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1908.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE STATE P @FFTQE.

ENGELBERT LUDESCHER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SUIT-CASE AND THE LIKE.

scams.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 211, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENGELBERT LUDE- semen, a subject of the Emperor of Austria- Hungary, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Suit-(Jase and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to suit cases and the like and more particularly to closures therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, one wall of which is madeup either wholly or in part of a series of flaps arranged to fold together and form a substantially fiat imperforate wall which will positively prevent the escape of any small articles from the case.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which, when opened outwardly to its greatest extent, exposes practically the entire interior of the case, and thus facilitates the operation of packing or unpacking the same.

Another object is to provide a closure which is attractive in appearance and which dispenses with the use of hinges such as heretofore ordinarily employed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out-in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the .preferred form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a erspective view of a suit case embodying t e present improvements, said case being shown closed. Fig.3 ing the case p rtly opened. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the case entirely opened. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of-the case.

Referring'to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the box-like body of the case, the same being formed of leather I or any other suitable material reinforced in any preferred manner and provided at the top, 'or at any other preferred point, wltha handle 2. The closure constituting the present invention can be arranged upon any one of the walls of the case, and, in the present instance, it has been illustrated as constitutin one of the side walls of the said case.

the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the lower corners of said side walls are provided with is a perspective view showflexible portions 3, from the inclined edges 4 of which extend flexible flaps 5, preferably formed integral with an intermediate flap 6 extending from the bottom of the case between the corner pieces 3. The flaps 5 are also formed preferably integral with end flaps 7 extending from the end walls of the body 1, the flaps 5 and 7 being preferably substantially trapezoidal and triangular in outline respectively, while the middle flap 6 is preferably rectangular in outline. The various flaps may be formed from a single piece of leather or other material secured to and formed integral with the corner pieces 3 and the body 1, and having creases 8 produced therein in any preferred manner and so located as to cause said strip to properly fold to produce the flaps mentioned. All of the flaps are also so shaped that when they are folded together, they, together with the corner pieces 3, constitute the complete side wall of the body 1, the wall thus produced being free of all openings. The free upper edges of the flaps are designed to be held together and in proper relation to the body when the case is closed, by means of a cover ing flap 9, which is either integral with or secured to the top of the case body 1, and is formed of leather or any other suitable flexible material. This covering flap is designed to lap the upper portions of the flaps 5, 6 and 7, and is also preferably provided with one member'lO of a lock, the other member 11 of said lock being secured upon the exposed portion of the middle flap 6...;A -tab 12 may be attached to the covering-flap 9, so as to facilitate the opening of the case.

When it is desired to open the case herein described the lock members 10 and 11 are disengaged and the coverin flap 9 is swung out of position upon the aps 5, 6, and 7. The upper orfree edges of these flaps. can then be gras ed and ulled outwardly as indicated in ig. 3. y reason of the peculiar shape and arrangement of the flaps 5, 6 and 7, it' thus becomes possible for. t e

flap 6 to assume a position substantially contents of the body 1 are thus f ly exposed and can be conveniently reached.

When it is desired to clone the case it is merely necessary to pressthe middle flap 6 inwardly, whereupon the flaps 5 and 7 W111 fold into their normal positions, and the covering flap 9 can then be swung into position thereover and secured by means of the fastening members 10 and 11.

It will be noted, by referring particularly Although the particular form of closure has been shown in connection with a suit case, it is to be understood that the same may be applied equally as well to other .forms of cases,-satchels and the like. Also other arrangements of the flaps 5, 6 and 7 might be employed for producing the same result. Various other changes can also be made in-the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. For example, and as shown in Fig. 4, instead of utilizing the cornergpieces 3, the body 13 of the case canbe formed with its corners removed so that said body will have the appearance of a semi-octagon. In

. this construction the flaps constituting the closure extend directly to the bottom and I end walls of the said body,.so that when the flaps are opened out the entire contents of the case are exposed to View and there is nothing to interfere with their removal.

In both of the constructions shown, and in all other structures which may be produced along the lines of the present invention, it is preferable to form the middle flap 6 so that it will be slightly'lcss flexible than the other flaps, and thus constitute a 40 more efficient backing for said flaps than would otherwise be the case. This flap 6 can be stiffened in any preferred manner.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a body of non-flexible material and a closure constituting one wall of the body, said closure consisting of a stiffened central flap and flexible flaps integral with and ex tending from o posite edges of the stiffened flaps and folda le relative thereto and upon the outer face thereof to constitute one wall of the body, and means for securing the flaps in folded positions. 4 2. A device of the classdescribed comprising a body of non-flexible material and a flexible closure thereforconsistingrof. folds W the outer face of the central flap, the flexiside flaps disposed to lap theside portion of the outer face of the central fla the flexible flaps being integral with an extending from opposite edges of the stiffened flap, said closure when folded constituting a flat wall of the body. 3. A device of the class described comprising a body of non-flexible material, and a "flexible folds and a stiffen flexible closure therefor consisting of connected flaps foldable together to constitute a flat wall-of the receptacle, one of said flaps being stiffened and constituting an interior backing for the other flaps, and means engaging the stilfened flap for securing the flaps III folded positions, the flexible flaps being integral with and extending from opposite edges of the stiffened flap.

-t. A device of the class described com- 5 prising a body of non-flexible material, and a flexible closure integral therewith andhaving one free edge, said closure being arr'a ifiged in folds and comprising a central sti with and extending from opposite edges of-the backing flap and foldable relatlve thereto, all of said flaps constituting a flat wall of the body, and means engaging the backing flap for securing the flaps infolded 5 position.

5. A device of the class described com= prising a body of non-flexible material having an opening therein substantially-co extensive with one Wall of. the body, and a closure for said opening and consisting of a stiffened flap and flexible connected flaps all formed in'one piece and integral with the body and foldable together into a flat wall, said closure being separate from one wall of the opening and means for securing the flaps of the closure in folded positions said flap being extended from opposite edges of the stiffened flaps.

6. A device of the class described com prising a body of non-flexible material, and a closure constituting one wall of the body and consisting of a stitfenedfiap and connected flexible flaps all formed in one piece, said stiffened flap constituting'a backing for the other flaps, and bein partly concealed thereby, a covering ap, separate from said closureand means upon the covering flap and the exposed portion of the backing flap for securin all of the flaps in folded ositions, said flexible flaps being extended from opposite edges of the stiffened flap.

7. In a device of the class described a body of non-flexible material, and a'closure 1 therefor having oppositely disposed sets of flexible folds and a stiffened central backing fold, said flexible folds being extended from opposite sides of the backing fold the folds of each set extending toward-the center 9f a and fpartly concealing the. backing fold, said exible folds being extended from 0pposite sides of the backing fold.

8. In a device of the class described a body of non-flexible material, and a flexible closure therefor and integral therewith, said closure having oppositely disposed sets of ed acking fold, the folds of each set extending toward and partly concealing the backing fold, said ened backing flap and flaps integral 80 eeagzea set of flexible folds being integral with and extended from opposite edges of the stiflened fold.v

.9. In a device of the class described a body of non-flexible material having an opening co-extensive with one wall of the body, and a flexible closure for the body and having oppositely disposed sets of flexible folds and a backing fold, the folds of each set extending toward and partly concealing the backing fold, said set of flexible folds being integral with and extended from opposite edges of the backing fold.

10. In a device of the class described a body, a flexibleclosure therefor and integral therewith, said closure having oppositely disposed sets of flexible folds and a backing fold, the folds of each set extending toward and partly concealing the backing fold, a covering flap and means upon the covering flap and exposed portion of the backing fold for holding the folds in closed position, said set of flexible folds being integral with and extended from opposite edges of the backing fold.

115111 a device of the class described a body, a closure integral therewith and constituting one wall thereof, said closure consisting of a centrally disposed stiffened backing fold and a series of flexible folds connecting opposite portions of the backing fold toopposed walls of the body, said flexible folds being foldable upon the outer face ofithe backing fold and extended, when thus folded, in the direction of the center of said backing fold.

l2. In a device of the class described a body, a closure integral therewith and constituting one wall thereof, said closure comprising an intermediate stiflened backing old and integral flexible folds connecting opposite portions of the backing fold to op- 13. In a device of the class described a body, a closure integral therewith and constituting one wall thereof, said closure consistin of a central stiflened flap and integral exible flaps connecting opposite portions of the stiffened flap toopposed walls of the body, said flexible fla s being foldable on the outer face of the sti ened flap and in the direction of the center thereof, a covering flap integral with the body and foldable on to the folded flaps, and cooperating means upon the stiffened flap and the covering flap for holding the folds together in closed position.

14:. In a device of the class described a body, one wall of the body having a flexible closure integral therewith and consisting of a central stiffened fold and integral flexible folds connecting opposite portions of the stiffened fold to opposed 'walls of the body, said flexible folds being foldable on to the outer face of the stiffened fold and in the direction of the center thereof, a covering flap integral with the body and foldable on to the folds when closed together, and cooperating means upon the stitfened fold and the covering flap for holding said folds together in closed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiflxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ENGELBERT LUDESCHER.

Witnesses:

J AS. M. WALKER, J. Ross CoLnoUN. 

